REFUSAL (SHORT STORY)

Discussion going on in "Nayar Kadai"

“She might have told him not to accept” (She – Leading Tamil heroine)

“May be he was afraid that seniors in the team might not cooperate with him and he has every right to fear so”

“Seniors. For every problem, why do we bring them in” – the ardent fan of one of the seniors.


..........................................................................................


Mukesh was sitting leisurely in the comfort of the sofa in his house, unaware of the discussions going on about his declining the captaincy of the Indian cricket team in the 'Nayar kadai'; though he was completely aware that through out India, his decision would be the discussion topic today. Lying in front of him were various English dailies, each having a special report written about his decision right from a yester year superstar to that guy who had played only one day international so far, that too thanks to his uncle who was the selector of the Indian cricket team then.

Mukesh fortunately or unfortunately did not have any selector uncles, but he made up for it with a string of good scores in the domestic circuit. He was the leading run scorer in the Ranji trophy for three consecutive years, but what really sealed a spot in the Indian cricket team in his favor was the three double hundreds he scored in a trot: one in Ranji semis, the next in final against Mumbai, and the third for the Indian Board President Eleven against the visiting Pakistani side. From then on he never looked back.

The last ball six he scored against Pakistan to seal off a memorable series win in front of his home crowd at Chepauk, made the world turn around and take a look at him. Five hundred run in a three match test series in seaming South African tracks is what actually convinced the World that he was a superstar in making; but it was what happened in Australia that showed he is of a special kind in the cricketing world which seems to be rapidly forgetting that it is a gentleman game. He scored two ninety nines in the final decisive test; in the first innings he was declared out caught behind by the umpire when there was a huge gap between the bat and the ball; in the second innings, he faintly edged the ball behind, but this time the umpire didn’t see the edge; but he walked. “There are certain things in life more important than hundreds” – he would later remark about it.

“You are saying no, because of that thing that happened so many years ago. You must be kidding.” – said his manager, who takes care of his endorsements, still unable to believe that what he just heard was true. The time he heard of rumors of Mukesh being appointed captain after India’s world cup debacle, in spite Mukesh scoring three half centuries, he had already started making plans of how much more money through endorsements that meant for Mukesh and more importantly how much more for him through commissions.

“You must be kidding”- he repeated once again this time little louder in a tone that he had never used before in the presence of Mukesh. “No I’m not” was the reply from Mukesh who now got up from the comfort of sofa and walked towards the corridor thinking within his mind that these people never understand anything other than money. He used the rails to support himself as he closed his eyes and began to think about the incident he narrated to his manager few minutes before.
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Mukesh, eleventh standard student in the Government High school, was kicking the soil in his school ground, standing at long off, as their opponents continued to celebrate their victory. His anger was not at the opponents but rather at his childhood friend and his captain Ravi, who gave the last over to Ashwin, in spite the fact that Mukesh virtually begged him to give it to Suresh.

He felt let down once again as it was the second time in as many matches, his friend has done exactly opposite to what he asked him to do. He started to walk back, when a comforting arm fell over his shoulder, followed by an apologetic remark, “My instincts told Ashwin would be a better choice, Mate”. Mukesh abused curses at the instincts of Ravi in a language that could not be used in the Infy bulletin boards.

“Ya. It’s fine. I accept that you would be a better captain than me; but what about our childhood challenge?”- Ravi.

“Don’t worry. I promise you that I would never become a captain without defeating you in a challenge” – Mukesh’s anger always flies away as soon as his friend comes near him.

The challenge they were talking about is the running race between the coconut trees in the Mukesh house to the palm tree near Ravi’s house. It may sound comical, but they came up with this idea when they had a row over who would lead the team when they were ten year olds, and they have been following the idea ever since. Ravi was the better runner, and he had always lead Mukesh from then on.

Mukesh knew that no one other than two of them could ever captain their school side, since they were simply a notch greater than others in terms of cricketing skills. If only he could defeat his friend in the challenge, they would both talk to their PT master and he could become the captain at least in the last year of his school. He knew Ravi was always ready to scrap the challenge and let him be the captain, but he was too proud to accept it. “I will give it one more tries next time” – he said to himself.

Schools closed for summer, and Mukesh went to his uncle’s house in Chennai, where he had requested his uncle to arrange him to attend a special coaching camp conducted by a former Olympic athlete. He thought that only way he could defeat his friend could be with the help of professional help. His uncle, who once had a dream to play in Ranji trophy but could never go beyond club level, readily obliged.

Chennai, for Mukesh who was born and brought up in a village, gave a new experience. When he saw a girl in his uncle’s next house wearing dresses that he had seen before only in movies, and giggling like the heroines, he started to spend more time chasing here, rather in the coaching camp. As the summer vacation came to an end, he returned back to his house, hoping he could see the giggling girl next year, and also guilty at heart that he could never lead the school side.

When he entered his home, he knew something was wrong. His mother was trying to tell him some thing, but she couldn’t muster enough courage. When he said, he would go to Ravi’s house, to accept defeat; she knew she had to say it then. Ravi had sacrificed his life, trying to save a small child who was drowning in the near by pond. The pond had ten victims so far, and it added the young girl and Ravi to its account gleefully.

“No sir. Let Ashwin lead the side” – Mukesh replied to the PT master who asked him to lead the school side.

“But Why?” – asked the PT Master.

“Because I am yet to win the challenge” was the reply.

PT Master did not understand, but definitely he was not the last one, not to understand. His club manager, ranji team mates, and now the Indian Public all of them were confused and could not understand when he is refusing captaincy; but he knew his friend there in heaven would understand and that is all that mattered to him.

“There are certain things in life more important than hundreds and captaincy” – he would say to the press the next day.